Runaway Girls of Iran

400% rise in number of runaway girls within a year
Dr. Seyyed Hadi Mo'tamedi, Director General of the Social Ills Prevention Unit, said, "In 2002, 724 runaway girls were gathered. This number reached 2,962 in 2003. Therefore, we are facing a 400% rise in this phenomenon." (ILNA, June 7, 2005)

70% of runaway girls raped once or twice a day
A member of the academic board of Tehran University said, "Research conducted on runaway girls indicates that 70% of these girls are sexually abused once or twice a day." Abbas Goldoust Arefi added, "60% of runaway girls are middle-school age. Unfortunately, families in small, remote cities believe the best 'cure' when runaway girls return home is to kill them."
Noting the rise in the number of runaway girls, he said research also indicates that 45 young girls and boys run away from home everyday and fall into the trap of criminal gangs. (SINA, May 18)


Runaway girls in Iran raped within first 24 hours - officialMost runaway girls in Iran are raped within the first 24 hours of their departure, according to an Iranian government official speaking to the BBC.
Dr. Hadi Motamedi, the head of Social Ills Prevention Unit of the Health Ministry, said the majority of such victims are rejected by their families if they choose to return after having been raped. Iran has one of the highest records of runaway girls in the world. (Iran Focus, July 12)